The State of Solar in Australia: Key Takeaways from the 2025 SunWiz PV Market Report

The Australian solar industry continues to be a major player in the global renewable energy transition, and 2024 was no exception. The latest 2025 Annual SunWiz Australian PV Market Report reveals a dynamic year for the sector, with significant growth in commercial solar installations counterbalanced by a decline in the residential market. Here are the key insights from the report:

4.7GW of Solar Installed in 2024

Despite challenging market conditions, 4.7GW of new solar capacity was added in 2024, making it one of the strongest years on record for Australian solar. This represents an increase from 2023 but remains below peak deployment levels observed in previous years.

Commercial Solar Surged to Record Levels

One of the standout findings of the report is the unprecedented growth in commercial and industrial (C&I) solar installations. The 15-30kW and 1-5MW segments saw significant uptake as businesses sought to reduce operating costs and hedge against rising electricity prices.

“Commercial solar had its best year yet, as more businesses recognized the long-term financial benefits of solar energy,” says Warwick Johnston, Managing Director of SunWiz. “The increasing adoption of larger systems highlights the growing confidence in solar as a mainstream investment for businesses.”

Residential Solar Declined for the First Time in Years

The residential solar market, which has long been the backbone of Australia’s solar growth, experienced a 1.6% decline in installations in 2024. This rare downturn is attributed to:

Higher interest rates and inflation, impacting household budgets.
Lower government incentives, reducing the financial appeal of new installations.
A shift toward larger system sizes, with many consumers opting for upgrades and battery storage rather than new small-scale installations.

The Role of Large-Scale Solar

While rooftop solar thrived, large-scale solar farm construction continued to struggle. The report highlights that only 1.32GWac (~1.60GWdc) of solar farm capacity was completed in 2024, marking one of the lowest levels since 2018.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Australian Solar?

The outlook for 2025 presents both challenges and opportunities:

Residential solar may face further contraction, but potential changes in policy following the federal election could boost consumer confidence.
Commercial solar is expected to remain strong, with more businesses adopting solar-plus-storage solutions.
Battery adoption is on the rise, as energy storage becomes more cost-effective and integrated into household energy management.
Australia remains a world leader in per-capita solar uptake, with over 40.7GW of cumulative solar capacity now installed.

Final Thoughts

The 2025 SunWiz PV Market Report provides valuable insights into the state of Australia’s solar industry. While residential solar faced headwinds, the commercial sector saw unparalleled growth, reinforcing solar’s critical role in Australia’s energy future.

For more in-depth analysis and data-driven insights, be sure to check out the full 2025 Annual SunWiz PV Market Report.

Interval Meter Data Tool Disclaimer

The Interval Meter Data Tool is designed to convert standard form meter data for the OpenSolar platform.

Users are responsible for meeting the requirements of the data that needs to be uploaded to the tool, which extends to but is not limited to

The completeness and accuracy of the data
Ensuring that there are no missing records
Uploading the data in one of the compatible intervals (15m, 30m or 1h).

Data uploaded to the Interval Meter Data Tool should not contain multiple datasets. In the case an excel file is uploaded, only the first sheet will be considered.

The accuracy of the output is dependent on the user’s dataset, therefore SunWiz does not guarantee the accuracy of the output.

The user must acknowledge that the output of the tool is beyond the control of SunWiz, and they must ensure that the data is accurate on their own behalf.

In the event that the program runs into an issue, the user will be issued with warnings or solutions to address or resolve the issue.

If the user requires additional support, they can avail it as a separate service from SunWiz

Warranties on performance

The Interval Meter Data tool from SunWiz attempts to convert most frequently occurring types of standard meter data file types in specific formats for the purpose of being used on the OpenSolar platform. Unless mentioned otherwise, SunWiz does not extend any guarantee of any kind, either expressed or implied, on the limited success of the Interval Meter Data Tool and the extent of it’s automation. Depending on the user’s upload, the program may require additional inputs, the training for which is not included in the purchase of this service and can be purchased separately.

Input requirements

The Interval Meter Data Tool accepts data in the 15-minute, 30-minute and 60-minute(hourly) intervals. In case the file is uploaded in an excel format (*.xls, *.xlsx, *.xlsm), only the first sheet of the file will be considered. Our tool is required to accept raw meter data, usually highlighted as ‘E’ data in its standard format; and therefore SunWiz does not guarantee that all data formats will be accepted.

For complete automation, the file must adhere to an acceptable standard format. In the case of an issue, the user will be provided with instructions by the tool on how it can be resolved. Warnings will be issued if the data is incompatible, incomplete with missing records and if multiple datasets are uploaded at once.

M	T	W	T	F	S	S
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31